The USDA states that refrigerated food should be kept below 40°F, and frozen food should be kept below 0°F. Keep your refrigerator and freezer at these temperatures to make sure your food remains fresh. You may set the temperatures higher only if you are not storing food in the refrigerator or freezer. On most models, the ideal temperature setting for the refrigerator is 38°F. For the freezer, the ideal temperature is -2°F.

However, some models may have different recommendations on the control panel. Please check your user manual for more information if you are unsure.

If you're looking for information on how to adjust the temperature in your Samsung refrigerator, you can check out our guide.

Checking your refrigerator’s temperature with a thermometer can be tricky, since the display on your refrigerator is an average of the ambient temperature of the entire compartment.

Additionally, it will always be colder in the back and bottom sections of the fridge. Warm air will also affect your food items when you open the door.

If you'd still like to check your fridge's temperature using a thermometer, you can follow these steps for the best result:

1. Place the thermometer in a glass of water, and then place the glass as close to the middle of the compartment as you can.
   
   Note: To check the temperature of the freezer compartment, place a thermometer between some frozen food packages. Do not put the thermometer in a glass of water, as the glass may shatter from the cold.
2. It can take up to eight hours to get an accurate reading if the doors are not opened.
3. If your refrigerator is warmer than 40°F (or your freezer is warmer than 0°F), lower the temperature.
4. Wait 28 hours, and then check the temperature again. If you still experience an issue with the cooling in your refrigerator, see our troubleshooting guide for refrigerator cooling issues.

​​The temperature for storing ice cream in your freezer will vary depending on your preference. For example, if you want harder ice cream, adjust the freezer to a cooler temperature. Likewise, if you want it a little softer, don't go below 0°F.

There are two simple tricks you can use to keep your ice cream fresh and creamy:

• Do not store ice cream on or near the door where warm air will hit it every time you open the freezer. When ice cream melts and refreezes, it loses its creamy texture and does not taste as good.
• Place plastic wrap over the opening of the container before putting on the lid. This seals the container and prevents freezer burn.